Shonen Reunion
by MiraiMera
Summary: Sequel to Shonen. Naruto has finally dragged Sasuke back to Konoha after his defection to Orochimaru. Now the two must repair their friendship, which may be more than it seems. Can a friend help them see eye to eye? SasuNaru, KakaIru. Manga spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: This story is a sequel to "Shonen", and so, it would do you good to read that one first, as it will make a lot more sense if you do. This picks up three years later, as the gang go after Sasuke to bring him home. SasuNaru, KakaIru.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Do own Miki.

Warnings: If you read the prequel, then you've got a pretty good idea. If not, beware the gay?

Reviews appreciated, since I haven't written in a very long time, I'm rusty.

Chapter 1

Tsunade stared at the note she held in her hands, reading it once more, though by this point she had memorized the message. This message was an encoded ANBU report, received earlier that day, and since had not left the Hokage's possession. "The targets have been located. Awaiting your orders." The note was signed by ANBU Commander Kusanagi - the elite captain of the Black Ops. Team assigned to the finding and surveillance of Orochimaru and his accomplices from the Hidden Village of the Sound.

* * *

Naruto stood before the Hokage with his jounin-sensei, Kakashi, and his pink-haired medic-nin teammate, Sakura, hoping that maybe they had been called by Tsunade for one particular reason. His heart tensed in anxiety and anticipation, waiting for the explanation that he wanted. 

"Sasuke's been found. I'm sending you three to meet Kusanagi-san's squad, and take Sasuke back - by force, if necessary. You leave immediately."

"Understood, Hokage-sama." Kakashi vanished, followed by a flustered Sakura.

Naruto turned to leave as well, but Tsunade's command stopped him. "Naruto, you stay. I have to speak with you."

"About Sasuke? You know I won't let him get away this time, no matter what." The eternally orange-clad boy's passion and determination were evident in his fierce blue eyes.

"But do _you_ know that after nearly three years, he's probably not the person you remember, especially under the tutelage of Orochimaru? The last time you both crossed paths, he was not happy to see you, and even though he ultimately defeated Orochimaru, he still may not desire to return to Konoha."

"Sasuke is Sasuke. Even if that snake-bastard tried to change him on the outside, he's still Sasuke-teme on the inside." _My Sasuke-teme, that is. _"I'll drag him back here, whether he wants to come or not - Itachi can wait."

"Just be careful, Naruto," Tsunade sighed deeply, stood up from behind her desk, walked over to the young man standing in front of her, and embraced him as she would her late brother. "Now," she said upon releasing him, "go and save your precious person."

* * *

That night, Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi sped through the forest, to the coordinates indicated in Kusanagi's report. Naruto was another person from the moment Tsunade ordered this mission. There was no trace of a smile on his face, and his speed was almost difficult to match, the boy's entire being showing nothing but focus. This, Kakashi knew, was because this mission was Naruto's own personal mission. 

There was nothing said between the ninja as they traveled through the dense forest toward the meeting place, until Naruto found his jounin-sensei's back suddenly blocking his way, inches from him. Kakashi's kunai was drawn, and he stood blocking a katana just above his head, which had clearly been meant for the blond.

Kakashi grinned as the blade was instantly sheathed, and put his own weapon away. "Long time no see, Kusanagi-san."

The ANBU removed his mask to reveal a familiar face. "Sumimasen, Naruto. In the dark I though you were an enemy. I wasn't expecting Tsunade-sama to send reinforcements."

It was obvious that although both Naruto and Sakura had changed a great deal, as they had grown and matured, Miki looked just as he used to - a baby-faced, teenaged-looking pretty boy with cold, black eyes, even though he was by now twenty-three years old, with the exception of his intensely red hair, that was now much longer that it used to be, and was held back in a long braid.

After a few moments of dumbfounded gawking, Naruto walked up to the man and threw his arms around him. "Thank you," was all that he said.

Miki smiled, and patted the boy on the back, who, he noted, was now taller than himself. He understood Naruto's feelings at that moment.

Miki had led them to his squad's camp, located in a small country east of the Sound in which Sasuke his team "Hebi" were spotted, where his subordinates were continuing surveillance in shifts. They spent the remainder of the night discussing an attack strategy that they were to implement the following evening in an attempt to subdue Sasuke without alerting his recently acquired subordinates, who, in the worst case scenario, they would have to distract long enough to escort the Uchiha home.

* * *

Days later, the group returned through the gates of Konohagakure, bloody and bruised, with one unconscious raven-haired fugitive in tow. Luckily for them, Sakura was an exceptional medic-nin, and managed to treat the usually fatal injuries enough that the group of them could make it back alive. Sasuke exhausted himself in an all-out brawl with Naruto, who had also been very severely injured, but was healed by the Kyuubi. The Uchiha was hit with Naruto's perfected wind-elemental Rasengan, which had torn him up pretty badly. Even after Sakura patched him up as well as she could, she injected him with a powerful sedative to keep him asleep during the trip. The only other person who probably should have died was Miki, after Sasuke's Chidori impaled him right through the chest. 

And of course in treating him, Sakura learned the rest of the ANBU's story.

Sasuke was admitted into the hospital, under special ANBU guard, and the direct supervision of the Hokage. Miki, still very weak, was also admitted, and was treated only by Tsunade, who was already aware of his special circumstances, and by Sakura, who had just learned of them during the mission. His room was considered private, and not even nurses were allowed in, none the less visitors, with the exception of Kakashi, because he was also already well aware of the ninja's circumstances.

Tsunade had not yet made an official statement as to the whereabouts of the Uchiha, but rumors of his return spread like wildfire, regardless. The group was seen carrying him through the village even though they had tried to be stealthy about it. It just so happens, however, that the simultaneous return of Team 7 and an entire beaten-looking ANBU squad tended to get noticed in Konoha.

* * *

Miki dressed in contemplative silence in his hospital room, occasionally wincing from the still throbbing pain in his chest. The gaping hole that was left from Sasuke's immensely powerful strike was patched up by both Sakura and the Hokage, two of the world's most proficient medic-nins, but it was still raw and he was under orders to stay in bed for at least another few days. Of course, that didn't mean he had to follow them.

Miki was short for a grown man, and resembled in both his short stature and his youthful face a very pretty, delicate, teenage boy of no more than fifteen or sixteen. His arms were always covered with white cloth bandages wrapped from his hands up to nearly his shoulder when he was in civilian clothes, which he usually was. He rarely wore the typical jounin navy jumpsuit and vest, and only wore his ANBU uniform and mask on assignment and during squad training. Instead, he opted for a black fishnet tank under a red, short-sleeved tunic, and the navy pants of his jounin jumpsuit. Naturally he wore his kunai and shuriken holsters at all times, which was expected of chuunin and jounin.

He ran his fingers through his waist-length, silky, fiery-red hair. He'd refused to cut it these last three years that he'd been tracking Orochimaru and Sasuke as a symbol of his personal oath to find the defected Uchiha. For three years he'd been tirelessly investigating the Sound nin, never once returning to Konoha, and communicating only by means of messenger pigeons, and he had decided that he would only cut his hair once the raven-haired young man was found and returned safely. _Seems a waste to cut it though_, the ANBU leader mused before braiding it once again and flipping it behind him. As he exited, Miki grabbed his forehead protector and tied it around his neck, covering the ghastly scar across his throat.

He made his way through the hospital until he found the room housing Uchiha Sasuke, which he recognized immediately, because no other room has any need for a squad of ANBU on watch around it at all times. He also assumed it was the Uchiha's because one loud, stubborn blonde was trying to visit the guarded patient, and was having no luck trying to convince the masked shinobi to let him in.

"Let me in, damnit! Let me see Sasuke!" Naruto was yelling and was valiantly trying to escape the grip of the masked ANBU who was restraining him.

"We have been instructed not to let anyone through. I am sorry, Uzumaki-san."

Naruto slumped and yanked himself out of the other man's grip, leaned on the wall beside the room's door, and slid down to the floor, dejected.

"Is there a problem here?" Miki asked, some edge to his usually calm and passive voice. He soundlessly appeared immediately behind the guard that had been restraining the blonde Jinchuuriki a moment earlier. His eyes were narrowing dangerously, although he stood there seemingly at ease with his hands in his pockets.

The guard spun around, clearly surprised at the voice coming from right behind him. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded, backing defensively from the short red-head. The other three ANBU guards in the empty hallway immediately took defensive stances, preparing for any assault that may come from the threatening individual before them.

"ANBU Captain Kusanagi Miki," he answered, his voice predatory, and his cold, black eyes daring anyone to question him. "I intend to inspect Uchiha Sasuke, as it was my mission to apprehend him and I have not yet seen his condition since we have returned."

One person was, indeed, foolish enough to question the slender pretty-boy ANBU captain. "How can we know that you are really Kusanagi-taicho, when no one even in his own squad has ever seen his face?" The masked man standing at the wall across from the patient's room asked, his stance adjusting as he reached for the katana sheathed upon his back.

Miki merely stared at the other man a few moments, then proceeded to unbandage his left arm from his hand upward, first revealing scars and burns that covered his entire arm, and then a small black tattoo on the slender but toned bicep. It was the symbol worn only by Konoha Black Ops shinobi.

"Sir! Kusanagi-taicho! Forgive our rudeness!" The man bowed, embarrassed, and then saluted the smaller man, as the other ANBU guards followed.

Miki looked to Naruto and nodded toward Sasuke's room, and together they walked in. Naruto appeared somewhat nervous, half-expecting the guards to pull him back and keep him from entering again. He stared, though, at Miki's uncovered arm. He'd never seen it when he was a kid, though he knew he hadn't spent that much time with the older boy. There were countless scars and burns, more than what was normal for a lifetime of battle. Miki never talked about his past, and Naruto felt uncomfortable asking him about it. Clearly the red-head never wanted to talk about it, because something in his previous life, before he came to Konohagakure, must have gone horribly wrong.

But Naruto had little time to muse on his senpai's history, as he finally was standing next to Sasuke's bed, and looking right into his dark, unreadable eyes.

* * *

I wanted to pick this story up again, because I was not satisfied with the way I ended "Shonen". I felt that the end of that story really was just the beginning, and that there is much more to tell. Reviews are always appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: Three years after Sasuke's defection to Orochimaru, Naruto-tachi have dragged him back to Konoha. The pretty-boy ANBU captain, Kusanagi Miki, now twenty-three years old, is once again dragged into the affairs of the leaf-nin around him. Can he help the boys mend their friendship? SasuNaru, KakaIru. Please read the prequel, "Shonen", though I will try to write this in such a way that it is not necessary to do so.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Do own Miki.

Warnings: The gay.

Reviews always appreciated. I apologize if my writing is not up to your standards.

* * *

Chapter 2

Naruto stood there, staring into his long lost friend's eyes for what seemed like an eternity. The blonde had not seen the young raven-haired man before him since he had battled him into submission and dragged him bodily back to Konoha. He was still having a hard time accepting this as reality, as he had been driven to find the Uchiha for so long, that he didn't know what to actually do or feel when he finally did.

"Why the hell were you being so damn loud, dobe?" Sasuke was sitting up in his bed, looking thoroughly annoyed and simultaneously bored. An IV dripped into his arm, and he looked worse for wear, even paler than usual.

Naruto snapped back to reality. "What the hell are you talking about, teme? I was yelling because they wouldn't let me in!"

"Hn."

Miki watched the exchange between the two, and was happy to see that at least that much was already returning to normal. What he was not happy to see, however, was that both of Sasuke's wrists were handcuffed to either side of his hospital bed.

Naruto noticed this as well, and his shoulders sagged, just barely, and his eyes that had momentarily regained their shine, lost their luster once again.

"It's my own fault, dobe. Don't worry about it." Sasuke said, and turned away to face the window. It was apparently a beautiful day, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to enjoy it, at least not any time soon.

Miki sensed a familiar presence just outside the room and turned to leave, "I'll leave you two to catch up," he said. "See you later." Outside, he closed the door behind him and saw the masked face of Hatake Kakashi, looking bored as usual. It was clear, however, that behind that look of bored indifference, he was battling his own emotions at seeing his pupil return after three years.

"That drip is suppressing his chakra, isn't it?" Miki, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, asked the taller man.

"I noticed, too. I was in earlier today. It's probably the only way they can keep him under control if he attempts to escape." Kakashi looked toward the door as he spoke, as if he was looking through it to his two students.

"He doesn't look well. I don't like it."

"Well, actually, Hokage-sama wants to see you, regarding exactly the person we're discussing. Maybe you can be of some help to him."

* * *

Naruto stood in silence beside Sasuke's bed, not knowing what to do or say. He didn't really want to bicker with him, though that was preferential to the silence. It's like there were miles and miles between them, when they were right next to each other. It didn't help, also, that in the time Sasuke had been gone, Naruto had begun to see his friend in a different way. He wanted to talk to him, he wanted to yell at him, he wanted to make sure that he wouldn't leave again. But he didn't know how.

"You're not happy to be here, are you?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke turned to the blonde once again, and paused before saying, "I'm not happy that I'm in chains, dobe." He turned away again.

"Shove it, teme. You know that the Tsunade-baachan wouldn't actually want this. But she's being responsible for your sorry ass." Naruto concluded to himself that it was easier being ticked off than emotional with the ever-brooding Uchiha, and proceeded to pull up a chair beside the bed and plopping unceremoniously down into it, earning a quizzical look from the other teen.

"What are you doing?" Cold, dark eyes once again met tired, blue ones. _Seems the dobe's not as lively as he used to be, _Sasuke noted, taking in Naruto's somewhat exhausted appearance - the boy looked visibly tired, though he clearly tried to hide it, and it seemed as though something was weighing him down.

"Sitting down, what do you think I'm doing?" The blonde huffed and crossed his arms, settling into his seat and shooting the raven-haired hospital patient a glare.

"Hn."

* * *

The two jounin stood before Tsunade in her office, one of whom looked as though he'd forgotten how to speak, and could only stare at the large-bosomed leader of the village. The silver-haired one appeared relaxed and cool, hands in his pockets and mildly bored, which was not an uncommon state for the man. 

"I-..Would you please…repeat that, Hokage-sama?" the crimson jounin asked, confusion written clearly across his angelic features.

Kakashi turned to the androgynous man beside him, and spoke in place their esteemed leader. "Tsunade-sama has come to the decision that Uchiha Sasuke must be kept under constant supervision upon release from the hospital. He will be placed under house arrest, in your guardianship, Kusanagi-san."

"Your unit is already familiar with Sasuke's habits, strengths, and weaknesses, after having already spent an extended amount of time in the field observing him. You, yourself, have had more contact with the boy than any of the other Black Ops. soldiers besides Kakashi. In addition, you are single and live alone, and as such the addition of another occupying your apartment should not inconvenience you." The Hokage added, staring intently at Miki, looming over her desk, though not as threateningly as usual for the woman.

Miki continued to stare at her, having lost any ability to form words. _She really expects me to do this? They want me to live with Sasuke? But…_

"Because of your particular situation, you do have the option to refuse. We've taken into consideration that this would be quite an undertaking for anyone, especially for a person in your position." Tsunade sat down into her chair, and clasped her hands on her desk coolly, awaiting a response. She had hoped that Kusanagi would agree, for he seemed the most suited for this task, but she knew that an emotionally distant man like himself, for his own various reasons, may not wish to take this upon himself, kind though he was.

"What happens to Sasuke if I refuse?" Miki asked, with some mild air of indifference.

The Hokage sighed before answering, "Then he will be escorted to a maximum security prison and remain there until his fate is decided."

Miki knew immediately what she meant - if he did not agree to this arrangement, then Uchiha Sasuke would be imprisoned, and most likely executed. Clearly the village elders wanted the traitor eliminated, and if was probably only Tsunade's sheer strength of will that made it possible for the young man to avoid such a grim fate. Miki's eyes narrowed. "There is no one else you would entrust him to?"

"No one at this moment. Given time though, I'm sure other arrangements could be made."

"And in the meantime, he would rot in prison?"

The red-head was met with silence from both shinobi, who were not quite meeting him in the eye. He closed his eyes and sighed. "He already knows. It won't be a problem."

Miki didn't notice the Copy-nin beside him smile just slightly, warmth brimming in his single visible eye.

* * *

Miki and Kakashi returned to Sasuke's hospital room following their meeting with the Hokage to deliver the good news. Upon arriving however, they noticed that both boys appeared to be sleeping soundly - Naruto napping in a chair beside his sleeping rival's bed. Walking through the door, the two jounin noticed this and stopped. 

_They certainly look peaceful. You'd never think we were all fighting each other in some mortal combat just a few days ago._ "I guess we should just come back another time, Kakashi-sensei?" Miki whispered to the Copy-nin.

Kakashi, however, was not listening. Instead, he just strutted into the peaceful scene before them, and proceeded to obnoxiously wake the slumbering boys to the best of his ability. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauties!" he announced, quite loudly and with much vigor.

Miki mentally groaned, while the two waking boys did so audibly.

"Damnit, Kakashi-sensei, what the hell's the big idea?!" Naruto grumbled angrily. The blonde noticed the red-head still standing by the door and smiled at him. "Hey, Nii-san, where'd you get lost to?"

Sasuke regarded him silently as well, after having given his former jounin-sensei a half-hearted glare. His eyes traveled to the man's still unbandaged left arm, but he was not at all surprised. He recognized the scarred tissue earlier when the man first entered his room with the blonde idiot. Even then, it was still nothing knew to him, because he'd first laid eyes on those hideous scars three years earlier.

Miki glanced at Sasuke, collecting himself and trying to think of the best way to go about explaining their situation. "Sasuke," he started, "as soon as you are released from the hospital, you will live with me, under ANBU surveillance," Miki said, bluntly. "I am now your legal guardian." He added.

In response, Naruto's jaw dropped enough to leave him looking stupefied, and Sasuke merely grunted his very familiar grunt. Whether it meant he was happy with the arrangement, or was plotting against Miki and the busty woman who put him up to this, Miki did not know, and was afraid to find out.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: Naruto dragged Sasuke home, post-timeskip, and now their old friend Miki, a twenty-three year old pretty-boy ANBU captain, has assumed guardianship of the defected Uchiha. SasuNaru, KakaIru. Sequel to "Shonen".

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Do own Miki.

Warnings: Homosexuals and such. 

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Like, _greatly_...so...pretty please?

* * *

Chapter 3

Miki sneezed, for the umpteenth time since he returned to his long neglected apartment. Three years of disuse led to inches of dust across every surface of his home, and the red-head spent the afternoon thoroughly cleaning it. Even the once wonderfully fluffy and warm comforter on his bed was moth-eaten and pathetic, as well as his spare futon and blankets, all of which he would have to replaced before his new roommate arrived.

The only reprieve was that Sasuke was still in the hospital recuperating from their battle, because the medication that was being administered not only suppressed his chakra, but subsequently slowed his healing as well, and the youth would not be released into Miki's custody for another few days.

Miki looked around, and breathed an air of relief, as his surroundings were finally acceptably clean. The kitchen sparkled, and the bathroom shone brilliantly white and clean. His simple brown couch had been dusted thoroughly, and the carpet vacuumed. The old coffee table in front of the couch, stained and used as it was, looked cleaner than it had when he left. _Now to get new bedding…I refuse to sleep in those old moth-eaten rags._

The jounin put his cleaning supplies away and went to change his clothes, because he was now the dirtiest looking thing in the place. To his dismay, he saw that the bedding wasn't the only thing that the moths got to. Most of his wardrobe was in ruins, and there was not a single item that didn't have a hole somewhere. Miki sighed, coming to the conclusion that there was no cloth in his apartment that wasn't shredded.

A knock at the door brought the red-head out, dusting himself off as well as he could as he reached the door. He opened it, was surprised to see someone that he had never met before.

Standing in the hallway was a man, taller and older than Miki, with brown eyes and hair that fell below his chin, wearing what seemed to be a Konoha forehead protector backwards, as a bandana. A senbon dangled from his lips as he smiled genially at the smaller ninja.

"I just saw that the owner returned," the stranger started. "I'm Shiranui Genma, I moved into the apartment next door while you were away." Genma gestured to his left, indicating his residence.

"My name is Kusanagi Miki. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Shiranui-san." Miki bowed slightly, before stepping out into the hall and closing the door behind him. "I was just going out, so if you'll excuse me, Shiranui-san."

Miki made his way down the hall, occasionally patting stubborn dust off of himself.

Genma watched him, somewhat amused before he shrugged to himself and returned to his neighboring apartment. _Kakashi did mention the guy was a little uptight…I guess he must warm up, eventually_.

* * *

Dusk was approaching as Miki finished his shopping spree. He clutched bags full of clothes, blankets, and a brand new futon that he intended for Sasuke to sleep on in the living room. As his wardrobe was annihilated, he ended up buying an entire new one, though his new clothes were undoubtedly an improvement from his usual civilian style. He picked up more casual civilian wear - knit t-shirts, cotton button-up shirts, loose-fitting jeans and Converse sneakers - as well as new jounin and ANBU uniforms. In addition, he stocked up on groceries and basic toiletries before he was done. It was lucky for Miki that as a jounin and Black Ops. squad leader, he was very, very strong. Because the many bags he carried were very, very, heavy. 

While the was hauling his purchases home, a bright yellow head momentarily obstructed Miki's view, and then the weight in his hands was lessened. Beside him, Naruto stood holding half of his bags, grinning. "Looked like you could use a little help, Nii-san."

"Oh, thanks, Naruto. If you wouldn't mind helping me carry these home, I'd be happy to treat you to ramen as a reward."

Walking together, Miki couldn't help but be reminded of the first time he and the blonde met three years ago. Back then, the boy was being bullied by one of the bitter villagers, and Miki intervened. After that, they ended walking together and working together, as he temporarily commanded Team Seven as a favor to the group's silver-haired jounin-sensei while he was away. Back then, Miki didn't quite tower over the ninja beside him, but now he was absolutely overshadowed by the boy. Naruto's face, he noticed, had grown mature and strong, as well as his muscles.

The boy Miki once knew was now a man, and the jounin couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic.

Later at Ichiraku, the two sat together slurping noodles and sharing stories. Naruto, it seemed, had spent most of the last three years with Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin. It was the same Legendary Sannin, Miki knew, that authored Kakashi's precious, perverted, paperback atrocities. The man prayed silently that the so called "Ero-sennin" had not rubbed off on his young friend.

"I guess you haven't had time to do anything fun while you were searching for Sasuke, huh?" Naruto said, and looked into his bowl sadly, trying to think of the right words to again thank his older friend for giving up three years of his life to do nothing for himself and think only of someone else.

"It wasn't so bad. I've never been on such a long reconnaissance mission before, and I actually enjoyed it," Miki looked thoughtful for a moment, and then continued, "It was the first time that I felt connected to my teammates. They always respected me, and I was always comfortable as long as I distanced myself from them. While we were away for so long, we had no one but each other to depend on for strength and companionship, so I had to open up to them, if only a little."

Naruto absently swirled forgotten noodles with his chopsticks - a warning sign that something was not quite right with the boy if there ever was one. "Miki, I'm really thankful that you did what you did. I wanted so badly to find him, you know?" He sighed.

"Naruto," Miki put his hand on the other's back reassuringly. "You _did_ find him, but just because you returned his body here, it doesn't mean that the rest of him came with it. Give it time, Naruto. He _will_ be your friend and rival again."

Miki pushed his bowl away and left money on the counter, thanked the owner, and prepared to leave, ruffling spiky yellow hair.

Naruto grinned broadly at his older friend. _You always know just what to say, Nii-san._

"And if you ever need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to ask, Naruto. I won't ever turn you away if you need help."

* * *

Miki lay in his bed, happy to finally actually be laying in his own bed. Three years of sleeping in the woods, then a few nights in a hospital, and anyone would be overjoyed to finally relax on their own perfectly worn-in mattress. Only Miki's mattress had the body-weight forged indent in just the right place, and only Miki's pillow was just the right firmness. He sighed contently, fully intent on getting a good night's sleep.

He was doing a good job of it too, sleeping soundly, until around one o'clock in the morning, when the slumbering ANBU was woken by noises that at first, he couldn't pinpoint or recognize in his sleepy haze. It quickly became obvious, however, what it was, and where it was coming from.

"Oh, god..Oh..Oh! Genma! God..you're so…good…" A female voice beyond the wall moaned rather loudly, and her words were punctuated by a male's grunting in the background, along with what might have been a squeaky mattress.

Miki was quite sure that his eye twitched repeatedly as he lay in bed, unwillingly listening to his neighbor's sex-capades.

* * *

Sorry that this chapter is the shortest thus far, but it just seemed best to end it right where I did. Stay tuned! 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Do own Miki.

Warnings: Gay.

Reviews much appreciated. I would love to know what you think.

Chapter 4

Miki stood with Sasuke in his apartment and released the boy's wrists from his handcuffs. Miki's Black Ops unit just delivered the Uchiha to him, and he observed that the brooding young man was weak and sickly looking, no doubt a side effect from the drug that had been suppressing his chakra. Miki had been given a supply of the medication and syringes and was instructed by the Hokage to inject Sasuke once day to keep his power low should he consider betraying the village for a second time. "It also will make the rest Konoha feel safer knowing that we are taking proper precautions in dealing with someone they see as a criminal who is getting an undeserved second chance," the woman had explained to him in their meeting the previous evening.

"Until the Hokage and the village elders decide otherwise, you are to remain in this apartment at all times, unless escorted by myself or one of my subordinates. The ANBU that brought you here are now positioned in this neighborhood to watch you. Any sign that you have not followed the conditions of your release, the unit will forcefully restrain you, if not kill you." Miki said, pocketing the cuffs and keys into his back shuriken holster.

"Somehow, I don't think I'll be willing to find myself in such a compromising situation." Sasuke was well aware that he was too currently weak to consider the idea of fighting with even one chuunin, none the less a squad of elite Black Ops. shinobi.

"Why don't you have a seat, while I get us some tea?" the red-head asked, already heading into his small kitchen to prepare it.

Sasuke didn't reply, but sat down on the couch and waited a few minutes before Miki returned with two steaming mugs and handed one to him, joining him on the sofa.

Sasuke remembered how similar this was to the night before he left, when he came to Miki for advice, though the jounin never actually got a chance to help him at the time.

"Should we pick up where we left off last time, Sasuke?" Miki asked, sipping his tea slowly. He was a patient person for the most part, and knew that to get anything out of the Uchiha, patience was key.

The boy stared him down over his own mug, replying him with his usual brooding silence.

Miki continued, unperturbed. "Are you still planning to throw your life away for revenge?"

Sasuke continued to stare icily at the man.

"Do you still love Naruto?" Miki tried.

A barely visible twitch of the eye answered him, and the fiery jounin took that as a "yes".

* * *

"Hey there, hot stuff." Genma stood in the mission room, smirking down at the pony-tailed chuunin sitting at the desk in front of him. The brunette looked up from marking what appeared to be children's homework assignments thoroughly with red ink.

"Nice to see you, too, Genma. But you'd better be careful not to say things like that in front of Kakashi."

Genma grinned, the long needle shifting its position on his lips. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him, Iruka."

"You mean, what he doesn't know won't hurt _you, _don't you?" Iruka said, tidying his papers and placing them aside.

"Exactly. Can't have jealous Copy-ninjas chasing me around, now can I?" He winked, before handing over his latest mission report to the brown-haired mission room clerk.

"What about jealous Copy-ninjas, Genma?" A slightly drawling voice announced the presence of none other than Sharingan no Kakashi himself as he sauntered into the room, one hand in his pocket, the other habitually holding his beloved orange hentai novel in front of his face.

"Nothing, I was just trying to convince Iruka here to leave you for me, Mister Icha Icha Pervert." Genma replied coolly, smirking at his masked colleague.

"Oh, okay then. I thought maybe it was something serious." Kakashi said, dispassionately, much to the other man's displeasure. The Copy-nin walked to Iruka's desk, leaned over, and gave the chuunin a masked peck on the cheek, who subsequently turned a light shade of pink. "Hey, 'Ruka. I figured I'd stop in and see if you wanted to make plans for later."

"Ah, actually I'm working quite late tonight, Kakashi, so it would be a little silly to have plans so late."

"Well, why don't I drop by your place later? I'll even bring some take-out incase you're too tired to cook for yourself." Kakashi's eye turned upward, indicating that he was smiling brightly under his mask.

Genma rolled his eyes at the display in the mission room between two of the most highly respected, love-sick fools in the village. "By the way, Kakashi, I met my neighbor, Kusanagi. He's worse than you let on."

"Oh, you met Kusanagi-san?" Iruka asked.

"He's really not so bad, you just have to get past that mild-mannered, anti-social mask of his." Kakashi said.

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Genma inquired of the silver-haired jounin.

"Just annoy the hell out of him, you know, killing with kindness and all. Once he's mad enough, that mask shatters to pieces." Kakashi answered, from personal knowledge and experience. When he had first actively taken an interest in his red-haired friend, he quickly figured out that he could rile him up just by genially and energetically pushing his way into the man's life, and in doing so, actually see the _real_ Kusanagi Miki.

"Kill him with kindness, huh? Sounds fun."

Later that evening, Kakashi let himself into his boyfriend's apartment, carrying a bag of Chinese take-out. He had entered, naturally, through the chuunin's bedroom window, as force of habit. Upon walking to the kitchen, he saw that his beloved school teacher was already sitting at the small kitchen table, looking at him with a rather exasperated expression.

"Don't you ever use doors?" Iruka asked, as he placed to bag on the table.

"Of course. I use doors when there are no windows, Iruka."

The chuunin groaned and helped himself to the meal. He was happy to see that Kakashi had gotten him all of his favorites. _Okay, I've always known he was a little eccentric, but he's totally worth it._

* * *

Miki laid out the new futon and blankets on the living room floor. "You'll be sleeping here. The bathroom is down the hall on the left, and feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I'm going to bed, as should you, because we have an appointment with the Hokage tomorrow, early."

Sasuke eyed the red-head warily as he disappeared into his bedroom and returned with a syringe, clear liquid dripping from the tip. "But first," Miki said, "I have to administer this to you. It's best if you just cooperate and give my your arm, Sasuke."

The boy grunted indifferently and rolled up the sleeve of his borrowed jounin uniform shirt, holding out his arm to the shorter man, who took it, grasped it firmly at the elbow, and proceeded to inject it.

For a few moments, Sasuke felt perfectly fine, but as soon as attempted to take a step away from his guardian, lightheadedness and a surge of weakness overtook him and he faltered. As he fell dizzily, he was collected and supported by the short and delicate red-haired shinobi in front of him.

Miki propped Sasuke up over his shoulders and led him to the futon, helping him gently to the floor. The raven boy was pale and looked as if he might be ill, so Miki hurried to the kitchen to fetch him a glass of water. Handing it to him, Miki asked Sasuke if he was alright.

"I'm fine," he lied. Sasuke really just felt like shit, and he was sure that he looked it, too, but felt that he had no right to complain. The only reason he was forced to take the god-forsaken chakra suppressing serum was because he was nothing more than a traitorous criminal in the first place. No one had to explain to him that he was damn lucky to get a second chance, rather than be assassinated on the spot, even if his situation now wasn't exactly pleasant.

When he was convinced that his charge was indeed fine, Miki retired to his room, locked the bedroom door behind him, and unbandaged his arms and changed into his long-sleeved pajama shirt and pants in the dark. He removed his forehead protector from its place on his neck and rested it on his bedside table with a soft clank, and settled into his comfy bed.

Once again, however, the ANBU's sleep was interrupted, but not by his neighbor's nighttime adventures, which actually would have been preferable. Instead, old nightmares of blood, flying steel, and sadists with Hidden Village of the Grass forehead protectors invaded his mind anew.

Miki sat up in his bed, hunched over, gripping his sheets with one hand, holding his head with the other, breathing heavily. "Damnit!" He groaned angrily into his palm. _I thought I finally got over this…I'd hoped the nightmares had stopped…_

* * *

Sasuke sat leaning pensively against the other side of the closed bedroom door, having been alerted to the red-head's distress by pained moans and incoherent panicked mumbling. He waited for the red-head to wake from his night terror, and listened as the man calmed, and as his breathing eventually evened out again. Once the Uchiha was sure that his new guardian had fallen back into a peaceful sleep, he quietly returned to his futon and closed his eyes

* * *

Please me know whether or not you are enjoying this, and if you have any suggestions. Thank you. 


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